Visalia claims Under-10 Cal Ripken World Series title

Visalia (Calif.) players and coaches
celebrate after winning the Under-10 Cal
Ripken World Series title game.

Doug Engle/Staff photographer

By Richard BurtonCorrespondent

Published: Saturday, August 17, 2013 at 11:52 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, August 17, 2013 at 11:52 p.m.

Luke Jewett's run-scoring single in the top of the seventh inning produced the go-ahead run and lifted Visalia (Calif.) to a 5-4 win Saturday over South Lexington (Ky.) in the championship game of Under-10 Cal Ripken World Series.

Jewett, whose two-run single in the fifth with two outs tied the game at 3, struck out the side in the bottom half of the seventh to preserve the extra-inning win for Visalia.

The tournament's return to Ocala for the second time saw many highlights.

One of those was the effort by the Ocala Rampage, who became the second tournament host to win their pool.

The Rampage, though, came up just short of equaling Winchester (Va.) of being a tournament host to play for the title. Winchester played for the championship two years ago.

“I thought the tournament went very well, and the championship game was great,” said Norm Meissner, tournament director.

In the finals, Visalia (5-2) went all the way from being the No. 3 seed in the National Division to tournament champion by knocking off both West Raleigh and South Lexington, the top two seeds from the National.

The California squad avenged a 9-7 loss in pool play to South Lexington and used pitching and timely hitting.

On Friday night, South Lexington's No. 1-4 hitters combined to go 10-for-15 with 13 runs scored and seven RBIs, but were limited to 2-for-13 with two runs scored and two RBIs in the championship.

Christopher Gilbert lifted SL to a 1-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single, but Visalia got a pair of walks and an error to knot things up in the top of the third.

From there, hitting standout Jason Oviedo went deep with a solo homer in the bottom half of the third to put his team back in front. For the tournament, Oviedo went 12-for-22 with three homers.

Bryce Travis then contributed a sacrifice fly for the Kentuckians in the fourth, before Visalia rallied in the fifth.

Oviedo, who started and allowed one unearned run in 3 2/3 innings, came back to pitch with one out in the fifth.

After he retired the first batter he faced with two runners on, a passed ball pushed both runners into scoring position.

Jewett answered with the tying two-run single and Riley Creech followed with another base hit, which put Visalia ahead 4-3.

South Lexington responded in its half of the fifth on a two-out, check-swing, RBI single by R.J. McNeely.

Visalia, though, ap¬peared to be poised to win the game in regulation, as it loaded the bases with no outs against pitcher Sam Tackett.

Tackett, though, fanned the first hitter he faced with the bases full and then induced a double play to get out of the jam.

Visalia, however, wouldn't be denied.

Roberto Perez led off the seventh with a single and two batters later, Jewett put Visalia ahead for good.

South Lexington made one last change with a one-out single, before Jewett ended the game with two straight strike¬outs.

<p>Luke Jewett's run-scoring single in the top of the seventh inning produced the go-ahead run and lifted Visalia (Calif.) to a 5-4 win Saturday over South Lexington (Ky.) in the championship game of Under-10 Cal Ripken World Series. </p><p>Jewett, whose two-run single in the fifth with two outs tied the game at 3, struck out the side in the bottom half of the seventh to preserve the extra-inning win for Visalia. </p><p>The tournament's return to Ocala for the second time saw many highlights. </p><p>One of those was the effort by the Ocala Rampage, who became the second tournament host to win their pool. </p><p>The Rampage, though, came up just short of equaling Winchester (Va.) of being a tournament host to play for the title. Winchester played for the championship two years ago. </p><p>“I thought the tournament went very well, and the championship game was great,” said Norm Meissner, tournament director. </p><p>In the finals, Visalia (5-2) went all the way from being the No. 3 seed in the National Division to tournament champion by knocking off both West Raleigh and South Lexington, the top two seeds from the National.</p><p>The California squad avenged a 9-7 loss in pool play to South Lexington and used pitching and timely hitting.</p><p>On Friday night, South Lexington's No. 1-4 hitters combined to go 10-for-15 with 13 runs scored and seven RBIs, but were limited to 2-for-13 with two runs scored and two RBIs in the championship.</p><p>Christopher Gilbert lifted SL to a 1-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single, but Visalia got a pair of walks and an error to knot things up in the top of the third.</p><p>From there, hitting standout Jason Oviedo went deep with a solo homer in the bottom half of the third to put his team back in front. For the tournament, Oviedo went 12-for-22 with three homers.</p><p>Bryce Travis then contributed a sacrifice fly for the Kentuckians in the fourth, before Visalia rallied in the fifth.</p><p>Oviedo, who started and allowed one unearned run in 3 2/3 innings, came back to pitch with one out in the fifth.</p><p> After he retired the first batter he faced with two runners on, a passed ball pushed both runners into scoring position.</p><p>Jewett answered with the tying two-run single and Riley Creech followed with another base hit, which put Visalia ahead 4-3.</p><p>South Lexington responded in its half of the fifth on a two-out, check-swing, RBI single by R.J. McNeely.</p><p>Visalia, though, ap¬peared to be poised to win the game in regulation, as it loaded the bases with no outs against pitcher Sam Tackett.</p><p>Tackett, though, fanned the first hitter he faced with the bases full and then induced a double play to get out of the jam.</p><p>Visalia, however, wouldn't be denied.</p><p>Roberto Perez led off the seventh with a single and two batters later, Jewett put Visalia ahead for good.</p><p>South Lexington made one last change with a one-out single, before Jewett ended the game with two straight strike¬outs.</p><p>Creech and Jewett led Visalia with two hits apiece.</p>